Get Exactly What You Want From People Without Appearing As A Desperate Beggar.

He walked into the town thirsty, famished, and weary. Having sent his followers to buy food they’d all eat, he decided to find a place to rest.

Suddenly his eyes connected with a well that had been standing there, invitingly. With the scintillating promise he would soon quench his thirst, he moved closer and just sat there…

Hoping…

Presently the owner of the well came out to fetch some water.

“Excuse me!”

She said, asking him to move a bit. And this strange man, realising his opportunity, decided to make it verbal…

“Can I have some water to drink, please?”

And what came next became a lesson in history – a polite way of saying, “No, you can’t.”

Oh, the next move is a classic response

“If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”

What!

That was Jesus at the well with the Samaritan woman as captured in John 4. I learnt a very important lesson from this interaction. And here it is…

Never beg anyone for what you can simply have.

You ask, “how is that possible?”

I say, “how did Jesus do it?”

Know who you really are.

Here’s the truth, as christians we are kings and priests in this world, and, as far as I know, kings don’t beg for things.

Know what you are worth.

Knowing who you are is one truth, but knowing what you carry is another. You are blessed with very unique gifts to bless the world with. Those who are blind to your gifts are the ones in need, not you.

Help them see why they need you.

No, it’s not pride. Jesus wasn’t proud when he did. He simply repositioned himself. People who seem to be rich and happy often have needs and pain, the only way to get their attention is telling them what you carry is the solution.

Start with a premise.

That means, maintaining a common ground. This happens when you present your offer to fit their worldview. It could mean sharing a common story too.

Use FoMo.

FoMo simply means the Fear of Missing out. See the way Jesus used it effectively. “If you knew…and who it is…” He made her feel she was about miss a greater and better opportunity than what she was protecting.

Communicate benefits.

“Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4:14).

Benefit is what people really buy in your product. No, it’s different from the features. Every customer want a better version of himself. Not what your product does, but what they can do with.

So it doesn’t matter whether you are trying to sell, or negotiating your way for a deal, without money, these principles work.

Go try them.

Segun Dada is God’s Own Errand Boy, and Yours. He writes to relegate fluffy stuffs by promoting real Values.